Wired radio program apparatus



May 19, 1931. c, w, HQUGH 1,805,665

' WIRED RADIO rxoqmul APPARATUS I Fiibd April 27.

1927 3 Shegts-Sheot l May 19, 1931 l c. w. HOUGH 1,805,665

WIRED RADIb PROGRAI APPARATUS Filed April 2?. 1927 v 3.Sheets-Sheet 2Qwomtoc mam y 19, 1931- c. w. HOUGH 1,805,665

WIRED RADIO PROGRAM APPARATUS Filed April 27, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3gwumtom Patented May 19, 931- I UNITED srArEs P'ATENT' OFFICE CLINTON W.ROUGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY ASSIGNMENTS, TO FEDERALTELEGRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01 CALHORNIA WIRED RADIO PROGRAMAPPARATUS Application 111cc April 27,

My invention relates broadly to'a system of radio broadcasting and moreparticularly to a recording apparatus for use with radio broadcastreceivers for determining the relative choice of programs favored bydifferent radio listeners. 1

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction ofrecording apparatus for operation in conjunction with a radio receiverfor establishing a record of the likes or dislikes of radio listenersfor different broadcast programs.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system for automaticallyrecording the time periods over whicha radio listener may elect tocontinue to receive the different programs from a radio broadcastingsystem for enabling the program manager to more effectively select thebroadcast matter for the entertainment of a vast audience.

' Other and further objects of my'invention will be more fullyunderstood from the specification hereinafter following by reference tothe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus which'I provide formaking a record of the likes and dislikes of the. radio listeners; Fig.2 is a cross-sectional view taken through the recording. apparatus ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the apparatus taken online 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 shows the method of linking the recordingapparatus with the. radio receiver "for securing a record of the extent.of use to which the different programs may be placed.

' In the transmission of radio or wired radio programs especially whenthese are to. be paid for by subscribers tothe service it is extremelyimportant to know positively 'what items on the various programs appealto'the subscribers. The best index is whether or not the subscriberslisten. If they enjoy program items they willlisten to them, if not theywill turn to other programs or turn off reception entirely. An index ofthe appreciation is the time during which the receiving sets areoperated and when a program manager knows this the programs can 192?.Serial No. 180,948.

programs are generally sufiicient to supply the requirements ofsubscribers although additional channels may be supplied wherenecessary. If the subscriber does not care for the item on No. 1 programhe can turn to No. 2 program. If he does not like that item he can turnto No. 3- program.- If he does not like No. 3-by that time there will beanother item on No. 1. ,By knowing what items the public listen to aprogram manager can cater to their tastes and make certain that he issupplyingthe items desired.

My invention comprises broadly a clockwork mechanism which may be springdriven or it may be driven from the A or B batteries of a receiving setor a separate battery or by the electric lighting current. Thisclockwork mechanism is the measure for elapsed time and definite time asWell, so

that the individual programs can be checked up from the studiotransmission records. The clockwork mechanism is geared to driverecording wheel counters which record hours and minutes. A separateindividual counter is provided-for each program. These individualcounters are thrown in and out of gear by the switch which controls theseveral channels of the receiver. When No. 1 program is turned on thecorresponding time counter isconnected and continues to integrate andrecord the time during which program 1 is being received. Likewisecounters corresiponding to programs 2 and 3 are connecte when thecontrol switch is turned to those programs. The different sets of timecounters will then record the time during which the several programshave been received and they may be checked up by periodically readingthe scales at frequent intervals.

The device of my invention may be built into the receiving set or form aseparate attachment with operating controls connected to the programswitch. This device measures and records the time during which eachprogram is received and will'give a measure of the use of the service asa whole by adding the time of the separate counters, for example:

Hr. Min. Program 1 20 40 Program 10 Program 3 1 3O These records alsoshow that so far as this subscriber is concerned Program 1 is twice aspopular as Program 2 and that Program 3 is of very little interest tohim.

By having a certain percentage of the receivers in a wired radiobroadcasting system equipped with this device a general knowledge of thelikes and dislikes of the subscribers may he obtained and the programsformulated accordingly, Where desirable all of the receivers may besimilarly equipped.

The apparatus of my invention is intended to index the individualprogram numbers listened to by the subscriber. In this case the deviceis equipped with similar sets of counters which indicate actual date andtime the counters being in the nature of type wheels arranged to print arecord on a paper sheet.

By pressing a paper tape against the counter the date and time areprinted on the paper tape. In this instrument there are three sets oftype wheels all running and driven by the clock mechanism and allindicating the actual date and time. Adjacent to these there is a papertape which is moved forward one type and space width upon eachoperation. If the receiver is turned on to No. 1 program the operationof the switch would press the paper against the type wheelscorresponding to Program 1 and the date and time at which this programwas turned on would be recorded. When the switch is turned off the papertape is again pressed against the type wheels and a record of the timeimpressed onthe paper. The difference between the subsequent readingswill be a measure of the time during which No. 1 program.was receivedand by referring to the program record received during each recordedinterval maybe determined. A refinement may be included 'by adding theword Ofli' which isprinted on the tape against the printed record madeat the tlme the receiver is switched off. Suitable spaces are providedon the paper tape for the subscribers to make any pertinent commentsupon the program which might be desirable.

Referring to the drawings in more detail the recording apparatus isshown mounted within a cabinet structure 48. A main actuating shaft 1 isrovided to which the drulns 2 and 60 are eyed for rotation. These drumsserve as controllers for the printing and time registering apparatus andare-rotated in accordance with the movement of the control knob 55illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The control knob 55 is the mainactuator for the wired radio receiving apparatus the circuits of whichhave been diagrammatically illustrated indicating the equipment forthree channel reception. Coupled circuits 51, 52 and 53 are providedunder control ofswitches 57, 58 and 59 for selectively connecting suchparts of the coupled circuits 51, 52 and 53 betwen the incoming powerline connection under control of switch 56 and the wired radio receivingapparatus 54 as will permit the selection of a particular signalingchannel for wired radio reception. Movement of the main control willeffect corresponding'movement of the drum controllers 2 and 60 foreffecting actuation of the printing and time registering equipment whichwill be more fully explained hereinafter. The printing equipmentincludes type bars 8, 18 and 21 pivotally mounted at 9 carrying typecharacters 10, 22 and 23 at one end thereof which may be depressedagainst ribbon 63 for registering a character on the paper roll 11.These type bars are actuated by push rods 7, 15 and 19, respectively,each push rod having a roller 6 on the lower end thereof forestablishing contact with the cams 3, 4 and 5. T he paperroll carrier inthe form of a reel and web mechanism having rollers 12, 13 and 64: isarranged for the passage of a'paper strip bearing the desired printedrecord in a plane parallel to the rear panel of the cabinet structure 48in a position where the paper strip may be viewed through the sightopening 61. The roll carrier 12 is raised simultaneously with the upwardmovement of any one of the push rods 7 15 or 19 for the reason that thepush rods individually carry the pivoted arm members 14, 17 and 20 inwhich the roll 12 is mounted. There is sufficient resiliency in thesupport of the roll 12 by virtue of the spring mechanism 65 to permitthe paper to be pressed upwardly while the type bars are presseddownwardly for effecting an impression of a character on the paperstrip. The push rods are individually operated by cam members 3, 4 and 5which separately engage the roller member 6 on the ends of the pushrods'T, 15' and-19. The camsv3, 4 and 5 are so shaped that the actuationof the type bars is momentary, that is when the shaft 1 is rotated formoving the switch mechanism 1n the wired radio receiver for program No.1 the push rod 7 will be actuated and an impression made on the paperroll by the type 10 against the paper strip 11. While the setting of thewired radio receiver remains set for program No. 1 the push rod 7remains in its normal position in the center of earn 3 and then when theswitch mechanism is shifted to channel No. 2 the type bar is againdepressed by reason of the upper movement of plunger 7 thus establishinga mark on the paper strip at the beginning of the time that the listenerswitches to program No. 1 and at the conclusion of the listening period.For the purpose of providing a date and time record on the paper strip11, I provide a printing mechanism represented at 24 which is actuatedby a synchronized electric clock mechanism in casing 25. Thereel and webmechanism for controlling the supply of the paper strip is mounted fromthe sides of the cabinet, one such. mounting shaft being represented at26. Y

Extending across the cabinet structure I provide a' guide strip 27 forcontrolling the movement of the plunger rods 7 15 and 19 and also thecarrier rods 28, 29 and 30. These carrier rods eachterminate in a rollermember 31 which are actuated by cams 32, 33 and 34 on the surface of thedrum 60. Yokes 35, 36 and 37 are carried by the rods 28, 29 and 30 andin each yoke there is journal'ed a gear 38, 39 and 40. The yokes are sosuspended with reference to the main drive shaft 66 extending from thesynchronized electric clock 47 that the gears 38, 39 and 40 may bedriven at constant speed. The upward movement of any selected gearenables that gearto be revolved around a pivot such as pinion 40 in Fig.2 into engagement with a pinion on a time register shaft. I haverepresented the registers at 44, 45 and 46 each having a separate pinion41,42 and 43, respectively. The upper movement of push rod 28 by virtueof engagement between cam 32 and roller 31 results in the meshing ofgears 38 and 41 driving the time register 44 for registering the lapseof time during which the wired radio receiving apparatus is in use forthe reception of a particular program. It will be observed that'any oneof the several time registers 44, 45 or 46 may be independently actuatedthroughout the time that the listener is employingthe wired radioreceivin apparatus for reception on a particular channel. The printingoccurs only in the beginning and at the conclusion of the time periodover which the listener is receivin a particular program on a selectedchanneliut the time-recorder operates throughout the time interval thatthe listener is using the wired radio receiving apparatus ona'particular channel. As soon as the control shaft 1 is moved topositions for programs on channels 2 or 3 the camsi4 and 5 are'broughtinto operation for efiecting momentary printing upon the strip 11, whilethe time record cm are brought into operation for determinjacent therecord for any program, giving his opinion of the particular programitem being received 01? just completed. The subscriber might write suchitems as N o interest, Program too long, Splendid, Not

00d, Good or some other ex lanator g P y remarks which would be ofservice to the program manager when the broadcast entertainment is lateranalyzed by a review of the tape record. Sufiicient paper strip may beplaced on the rolls to enable the apparatus to be operatedover'aconsiderable periodof time. The change of the switching mechanismby the subscriber in selecting a Wired radio program operates to shiftthe paper roll through the pawl and ratchet mechamsm 70, so thatthe'consumption of the paper strip is relatively slow.

After a test apparatus of this kind has been left with the Wired radiocustomer fora desired period of time the paper roll may be removed fromthe apparatus and a new roll inserted thereinv and the record checked upby the program manager in accordance with a permanent transmissionrecord for determlnin'g the average opinions of subscribers for thewired radio service.

With this index of the likes and dislikes of the customers the programmanager may revise the. broadcast entertainment in line with theexpressions of the subscribers. While I have described my invention inone of its preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood thatmodifications may be made and that no limitations upon my invention areintended other than are imposed by the scope of the. appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

1 in a signal receiving apparatus a plur'ality or signalreceivingcircuits a tuning mechanism for adjustin the signal receiving circuitsto a plurality of predetermined positions, printing mechanism actuatedupon the setting of said tuningapparatus in any selected position, andmeans for recording the time at which said tuning apparatus was set intoa selected position and the time at which it was set into anotherposition for determining the time period over which any selected one ofsaid signal receiving circuits is rendered effective for the receptionof signals.

. I 2. Signal receiving ap aratus comprising a tuning system arrange tobe set in a plurality of predetermined positions for the selectivereception of a plurality of different 5 programs, a rotary actuatorarranged to be -moved simultaneously with the adjustment of said tuningsystem, said rotary actuator carrying a plurality of came thereon, aplurality of type bars corresponding to the numher of settings of saidtuning apparatus, a

reel and web mechanism for presenting a paper strip to a positionadjacent said type bars, each of said type bars being arranged forindependent actuation by a predetermined one of said cams when saidrotary actuator is shifted in position for establishing a printed recordat the beginning and 'the'end of the adjustment of said tuning apparatusto a selected position.- '3. In a signal receiving system, a tuningapparatus arranged to be adjusted to a plurality of predeterminedpositions for the selective reception of a particular program, a rotaryactuator arranged to be moved simultaneously with the adjustment of saidtuning apparatus, a plurality of cams arranged in echelon and carried bysaid rotary actuator, a plurality of type bars corresponding to thenumber of programs to be received, a

strip member for receiving a printed record,

said type bars being independently actuated by engagement of said camsupon movement of said rotary actuator for impressing a printed recordupon said strip member upon '85 the initial setting of said tuningapparatus to a predetermined position and upon the movement of saidtuning apparatus from said predetermined position.

4. In a multiplex signal receiving system a 40 multiple positionelectrical switch, a pluralitywf independent signal receiving circuits,said switch being movable to positions corresponding to individualsignal circuits, printing mechanism operative upon the movement of saidswitch from one position to another position to record the time of eachswitch movement, means for registering the time lapse between each ofsaid switch move ments and a multiplicity of cams shiftable in positionto render said printing mechanism and said registering means operativesimultaneously. y

In testimony whereofl affix. my signature.

' CLINTON WpHOUGH.

